Baby Black
by vnsjvhgs
Summary: Jacob, 25, not knowing that his wife is lying and cheating on him, searches for a willing girl to carry his child through traditional surrogacy as he thinks his wife is sterile. Nessie, having financial problems, and an urgent need of money, accepts the offer. They meet.
1. Chapter 1

_I'm back. And I've started another story. And it's another SheeWolf85 promt. You could probably tell. I told myself I couldn't until I'd finished Snapshot, but fshgsihv. As always, I'm not really sold on this chapter. Maybe it's because it's dealing with the legal side of things. I don't know. Anyway, read it, and if you like it, review (: xx_

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"Your eleven o'clock appointment is here," Julie announced once Leah had picked up the phone, "should I send her in?"

"Offer her a coffee. I need a minute."

Leah put down the phone and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. She didn't know much about surrogacy, but she was Mr Black's attorney and had been handling his affairs for years. As a result, Leah considered him almost like a friend, which was the reason she had agreed to finding him a surrogate in the first place. That, and her little brother's pricey college fees.

The Blacks had requested that the search for the perfect surrogate had been made Leah's top priority at their first meeting. Their demand for a baby before Mrs Black turned thirty meant that Leah had a five month deadline to find the perfect candidate - a request that she had found rather idiotic. In her opinion, five months wasn't much time to find _and_ bond with a girl that made up half of your child's DNA. Nevertheless, she worked for the Blacks, and considering the amount of money they threw at her to find that girl, it wasn't in her place to tell them that. Instead, she'd had Julie advertise for surrogates in college newspapers and on the internet, and had then sat back and waited for the calls to start coming in.

In the first month, thirty-four women had contacted her. All had been promptly dismissed as none had met all of the ridiculous specifications the Blacks had set, but Leah had the feeling that even if they had, they wouldn't have survived the later interview with Jacob and Maria Black anyway.

The second, third and fourth month had been no different. Before Leah knew it, the fifth and final month had arrived, and she still had no one to report back to Jacob Black about. But that hadn't stopped him from calling three times a week and reminding Leah, not so nicely, that he didn't pay her for nothing and that he _needed _a surrogate, fast.

Renesmee Carlie Cullen would be the fifty-fourth candidate that Leah had interviewed, and she had almost gotten down on her knees and thanked God when she had read over the fact sheet Julie had prepared on the girl.

Twenty years old.

Brown eyes.

Auburn hair.

Parents deceased.

Raised by aunt and uncle.

Twin brother.

No serious illnesses.

No known genetic disorders.

Left-handed.

Five foot three inches tall.

108 pounds.

According to the information, the girl had already met a little under a half of the attributes that were required for an interview with the Blacks. She would be the most fitting girl Leah had spoken to yet, and because of that had the potential to possibly be the Black's surrogate, and in return receive thousands of dollars. And if they chose her, the baby business would be done, and Leah would have the chance to attend to a few of her other nicer and less demanding clients.

The perks of working for the Blacks.

Leah took a deep breath and then stood up and straightened her blouse. After a quick glance in the mirror, she walked out of her office and almost ran right into Julie. Leah sighed and moved out of the way of her flustered secretary, and in doing so, locked eyes with the girl seated on the leather sofa in front of her.

"Leah Clearwater. It's nice to meet you, Miss Cullen," Leah said. She couldn't help the smirk that spread across her face as she took the girl's features in, and mentally checked five more items off of the surrogate requirement checklist.

She extended a hand.

"Renesmee," the girl corrected as she shook Leah's hand, "please. Thank you for seeing me."

Leah nodded and then escorted Renesmee to her office. She had Julie bring in her coffee.

"What made you interested in becoming a surrogate mother?" Leah started after her the door had shut.

"I thought it would nice to help a couple who couldn't conceive have a baby, and at the same time make the money I need to finish college and help out my brother," the girl replied confidently.

"Help out your brother?"

"Yes. He was involved in a car accident a little while back, and he's struggling to pay all the hospital bills."

"I see. Has Julie explained to you what will be expected of you, Miss Cullen?"

"I only know the main details," the girl said. "I will not allowed to see the baby, or have any type of relationship with it. I've been told that the couple would want me to live with them for the duration of the pregnancy?"

Leah nodded.

"It is the only way my clients can be sure that you remain smoke, alcohol and drug-free, and are not involved in any risky or strenuous situations that could harm their child."

"Will I be able to continue my studies?" Renesmee asked.

"Yes. You are allowed to leave the property when you please, but you will have a driver and a bodyguard with you at all times."

"A bodyguard?" The girl asked, her tone incredulous and eyes wide.

"My clients are intent on making sure that their surrogate mother is protected at all times to ensure the best possible outcome," Leah said. "Now, you will be required to sign two contracts before you are artificially inseminated, the first stating that you agree to abide by my clients' conditions, and the second stating that you agree to give up all parental rights to the child. So you need to be certain that you'll be able to terminate the relationship with the baby the second it's born. Can you do that, Miss Cullen?"

Renesmee's expression turned serious, and she cleared her throat before speaking.

"I can. I'm too focused on my studies right now and don't have the time or resources for a baby."

"Good. You need to be absolutely sure that you will abide by the contracts, or you will find yourself in

a very sticky legal situation. Do you understand?"

The girl swallowed and nodded her head.

"I understand," she said.

"Alright. Now, did Julie inform you about the terms of the insemination process?"

"Yes. If I don't become pregnant after four cycles, I'll be dismissed. If I miscarry, I'll be dismissed."

"And are you aware of the financial side of things?"

Renesmee shook her head.

"You will be paid fifteen thousand dollars up front. If you miscarry or do not become pregnant after a fourth menstrual cycle, you will be paid an additional ten thousand dollars. And if the pregnancy is successful and you deliver a healthy baby, you will be paid one hundred thousand dollars."

The girl gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"That's a lot of money," she said.

"Yes, it is. So, if you agree to my clients' terms, you will undergo a series of health checks. If the tests come back clear, I can arrange an interview with my clients. How does that sound?"

"Perfect."

"I think we're pretty much done here. I'll have Julie go over the contracts with you tonight. She can answer any of your questions."

Leah stood and extended her hand once again. The girl quickly followed, and grasped Leah's hand in hers.

"Do you think I'm the type of person your clients are looking for?" Renesmee asked as they walked to the door.

"I think you're exactly the type of person they're looking for."

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_Sooo . . . review? (:_


	2. Chapter 2

Renesmee's head was spinning by the time she had made it back to her apartment. One hundred and fifteen thousand dollars! That was a lot more money than the surrogate websites had suggested. It would pay her brother's debts and help her through college, but a _baby _was involved. Could she really carry a baby for nine months and the let the doctors take it away? A baby that would inherit her DNA, a baby that was biologically_ hers_? She lightly ran her hand across her stomach and sighed.

Then again, could she let her brother continue to struggle, and her college fees go unpaid? Could she deny a desperate couple a baby? No. She couldn't afford to. And it would be fine, as long as she continued to remind herself that the baby wasn't hers to love and raise. She briefly wondered what her parents would think of her, carrying a baby that belonged to two strangers. Would they be appalled at such a thing? Renesmee had found the idea rather lovely, however. She thought that it was a beautiful thing to do to give a couple a shot at parenthood. Many surrogate mothers shared the same opinions according to their stories that she had found online, so much so that a majority of them volunteered themselves for free and had lifelong relationships with the child.

But that wasn't going to be the case if Ms Clearwater's clients chose her. The contracts that Julie had gone over had clearly stated that the surrogate mother would not be allowed any type of relationship with the child after the birth. Neither could the surrogate mother see the child or know its sex. And then there were the other stipulations to which she had to agree to, such as leaving her apartment and privacy behind for a year. It was a lot for Ms Clearwater's clients to ask, but Renesmee knew that it was only to protect their investment. Though that didn't mean it was any less overwhelming. She pushed her trembling hands between her knees to try and still them, and told herself not to think anymore about it until all considerations were known.

But fourteen hours later, as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she tried to imagine herself pregnant. And then she tried to imagine herself after a pregnancy. Would she get her figure back? Or would a hundred and fifteen thousand dollar baby ruin her body completely? It wasn't much the thought of her post baby body that bothered her, it was mainly the implications that it would bring. If her body did change as a result of the pregnancy, she wouldn't be sure if she could ever look at her reflection again. She couldn't have another reminder of the baby she had felt living inside of her for nine months of her life.

Renesmee fixed her hair and banished the thoughts from her mind. She reminded herself that being a surrogacy mother wasn't a horrible thing, and it certainly wasn't something to regret. It would be a part of her life that she of course would never forget, but that didn't mean that it had to be a bad memory.

She pushed her feet into a pair of brown flats and dropped her keys into her handbag, before leaving her apartment and making her way downstairs. The whole process was moving so fast. Only the day before she'd spoken to Ms Clearwater, and already Julie had scheduled her in to see the doctor and a fertility nurse. The serious assistant had explained that the results from the doctor would take two to three days to get back to Ms Clearwater, and if Renesmee received a clean bill of health, she'd be sent to a fertility specialist to be examined. If she got the all clear from the specialist, Ms Clearwater would arrange an interview with her clients. In less than a week, Renesmee could be sitting in front of the couple that were willing to pay her one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars to have their baby. It was a lot to take in.

A sleek black car rolled to a stop outside Renesmee's apartment complex, and seconds later Julie stepped out of the passenger door. She looked as stunning and professional as she had the day before in her black designer heels and pretty silk blouse. Renesmee fingered her thin white sundress self consciously and bit down on her lower lip.

"Renesmee," Julie said once the two stood a foot apart, "I trust you took my advice and didn't dwell too much on the contracts last night?"

Renesmee nodded.

"Good. Are you ready for your examination?" Julie asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Renesmee replied.

* * *

"Schedule an interview with Jacob and Maria for tomorrow afternoon," Leah said into the receiver, "and fax her medical results through to Mr Black's assistant."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"No. Thank you, Julie."

Leah put the phone down and poked at the pasta on the stove top.

"Seth!" she called, "Dinner!"

As always, the greasy haired boy took his time getting to the kitchen, his eyes locked on the screen of the iPhone in his hand. It was a gift she'd given him for his birthday a few months back, along with a rather pricey matching laptop, that he used to access explicit content he thought she didn't know about. But she had been through law school, and it was impossible to do anything under her roof that she didn't know about. Then again, she didn't need to be a lawyer to figure it out. The boy's room always reeked, and it wasn't due to dirty socks.

Leah snatched the phone from his hands once he'd sat down on the opposite side of the kitchen counter, and put it on top of the fridge before serving up their dinner. She set her little brother's plate down in front of him before moving to her seat, and then she waited for the small talk to start. It was a nightly ritual, Seth would start by giving her a summary of his day, and then ask her about her latest case. Then she would moan and groan about the Blacks and then remind him that he had something or rather due in the next day, and send him up to his room to finish whatever it was off while she cleaned up.

"So," Seth said as he picked up his fork, "I saw the campus crackhead today."

"Oh?" Leah prompted, her eyes on the pasta on her plate.

"Yeah. He walked up to me and Luke and started asking for two dollars to buy a burger. His eyes were all fuc-"

"Seth."

"Sorry. His eyes were all screwed up, and he had one of his hands shoved down his pants. He didn't have a boner though, thank fuck-"

"Seth!"

Seth dropped his eyes to his plate and stabbed at a bit of pasta.

"You know not to swear. It gives me a headache," Leah murmured.

Her brother grumbled something under his breath and then shoved the fork into his mouth. Leah chose to ignore his behaviour, she knew that if she said something about it, they'd get into the same argument again. The argument in which he'd yell at her for 'babying' him, and she'd tell him that he was her little brother and she needed to look after him, because they sure as hell didn't have parents to do that anymore. In the end, he'd feel guilty and apologize, and she would win the battle, as she always did. That didn't mean she wasn't sick of fighting in the first place, though. She did enough of that at work.

"So what else happened today?" She asked after a minute of silence.

"Nothing really. But Lee, I'm going to a movie at seven with Jess, and I need to borrow some money. I invited her, so, I think I'm paying."

"You're the man, you're supposed to pay anyway. How much do you need?"

"I don't know. It's kind of a date."

Leah arched an eyebrow and looked up at her brother. She'd been waiting for him to go on a date since he'd started high school. If it weren't for the things on his laptop, she would have thought he was gay.

"Maybe . . . sixty dollars?" Seth asked, taking another forkful of pasta.

"Alright. Do you want me to pick you up?"

"Nah. I'll catch a bus or a train or something. Don't wait up."

"You know I will," Leah said, reaching over to playfully ruffle his hair. "Just don't make me wait too late. I have an important meeting tomorrow."

Seth's head snapped up.

"With the Blacks?"

Leah hummed.

"So the girl passed the medical tests?"

"With flying colours," Leah said.

"So she's got the job?"

"Only if she survives the interview tomorrow."

"But Mr Black is nice," Seth said as he reached up to scratch the back of his neck. Leah's eyes landed on his biceps as he moved. When had they gotten so big?

"Mr Black is a gentleman," Leah said. "He's charming when he wants to be, but really, all he cares about is business."

"Then why is he trying so hard for a kid?"

"I don't know," Leah admitted with a shrug. It was the question that had been on her mind for the past five months. "I feel like he's trying to prove a point. I don't think he really _wants_ a baby."

"That's stupid. Why would he have a baby, when he doesn't want a baby?"

"Again, I don't know," Leah sighed. "But if this girl is the right girl for them, we'll find out in nine months."

* * *

Renesmee rubbed her palms against her thighs and bit down on her lip. She had worn her best dress and a pair of pretty flats she'd taken from her aunt's closet, but that didn't stop her from feeling any less self conscious. She knew that the couple sitting on the other side of the doors in front of her had money, and lots of it, she could tell by the price they were willing to pay her to rent her body for a year. And she could help but wonder if they'd think her unworthy because of her forty dollar dress and second hand shoes.

"Are you alright?" Julie asked.

"Yeah," Renesmee breathed, "Just a little overwhelmed. Nervous."

Julie patted Renesmee's shoulder awkwardly, and then moved back to the seat behind her desk.

"You'll be fine. They're lovely people-"

Suddenly, the doors in front of Renesmee swung open, and Leah ushered Renesmee into her office. Renesmee forced her hands into fists behind her back to stop her hands from trembling.

"If you take a seat there," Leah pointed to a single sofa, "my clients will be here any second."

Renesmee nodded and turned toward the seat, but before she reach it, the doors swung open again. A skinny -bordering on anorexic- lady strutted in, and right behind her, with his hand pressed against her lower back, was a dark skinned man Renesmee vaguely recognized. They immediately started toward Renesmee, and the lady extended her hand. Renesmee didn't know whether to kiss it or shake it.

"Renesmee Cullen," the lady said, "It's lovely to meet you!"

Renesmee blinked.

"And you're just beautiful," the lady continued, "isn't she, Jacob? Perfect bone structure."

Jacob cleared his throat and nodded. His wife paid no attention.

"Tell me, what colours do you like? I had the decorator use violet and ivory, but maybe olive would have been nicer. Do you like olive? I don't want you spending your time in a room you don't like."

"Maria," Jacob interrupted, "maybe we should sit down to talk about all this. You're scaring her."

Renesmee wanted to tell him that Maria wasn't scaring her, but she couldn't find her voice. It felt like cotton balls were lodged in her throat.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Leah said.

Maria's cheeks flushed, and she nodded once before her husband guided her back to the sofa against the left wall. Maria scooted to the far side of the couch, and ordered Jacob to the other, and then eagerly patted the space between them, inviting Renesmee to sit.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Renesmee finally said as she sat uncomfortably between them. Maria took her hand and squeezed it.

"Tell us about yourself, Sugar," Maria said. Renesmee cringed at the nickname, but launched into her life story anyway.

She told them first about her mother and father's deaths, and then about the accident that claimed her aunt and uncle's lives, and ruined her brother's. Jacob and Maria seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying, and Maria would rub her back soothingly when Renesmee started to get a little teary, recapping her tragic family history. If they were bored, they certainly didn't show it.

"That's horrible!" Maria gasped when Renesmee told them of her brother's current state. Renesmee hummed in agreement. She didn't fail to notice the grim look Maria sent her husband after she had mentioned her twin, though. Her stomach dropped. Maybe they didn't want a surrogate with a cripple brother.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Maria spoke.

"You see, Honey . . . We believe that visiting your brother during the pregnancy would only cause you stress, and we aren't prepared to put our baby in danger because of it. You won't be allowed to see him."

"I'm sorry?" Renesmee said.

"If your blood pressure rises, it's not-"

"No," Renesmee interrupted, "I know that, but . . . He's my brother. I . . ."

She couldn't find the words she so desperately needed. He was her twin. They wanted her to go a year without seeing him? It was a foreign idea to her.

"We understand that," Jacob said. "Maria is just worried about the baby's health. The contracts haven't been finalized yet, so I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement."

Renesmee let out a sigh of relief.

"But otherwise, you're prepared to abide by the contracts?" Jacob asked.

"Yes," Renesmee replied confidently.

"Wonderful. You'll love the estate," Maria said. "You'll have a chef prepare your food, and I assigned you one of my favourite horses, Chestnut, to take out riding. Accompanied, of course. And there's a heated pool indoors and a larger pool out the back. There is also a movie room that I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of, especially when you reach your third trimester."

Renesmee didn't know anyone that had a pool, let alone a movie room. She grinned at the thought of lounging around all day for the better part of a year.

"And don't forget the library. I'm sure that could be useful for your studies. Psychology, did you say?" Jacob asked.

"Yes. A library would be wonderful."

It was then that she noticed something strange about their interview. It hadn't been an interview, considering they'd only asked her one question. No, it had been more like a . . . she didn't know what to call it. And then she figured it out. They were courting her.

* * *

_You readers are lovely. The alerts are . . . woah. And yes, this story is all human (: _


	3. Chapter 3

_Leave a review at the end of the chapter to let me know what you're thinking of the story so far (:_

* * *

"Do you think she liked us?" Maria asked as she slid into the passenger seat of the black SUV. "I think she did."

Jacob nodded and pulled his door shut. Truthfully, he had no idea if the girl liked them. He'd been focused on work the entire time, and it took all he had not to pull out his iPhone in the middle of the interview and demand that his agent sort out the rumours in the tabloids for the fifth time that day.

But in the hour he had spent in the same room as Renesmee, he'd managed to notice a few tiny things when the thoughts of his job let up, like the way her nose crinkled when she smiled. It sounded stupid, really, but that tiny little thing had convinced him that she was, in fact, the perfect surrogate. He wanted a daughter or son with _that_ smile.

"Remind me to call Martin when we get home," Maria said, her shrill voice snapping him from his thoughts, "I need to tell him to redesign the guest house. Was it green that she liked? Or aqua? Maybe sea foam green would be best. If we paired it with indigo, the room would look stunning!"

"Right. Indigo," Jacob murmured, completely uninterested. He pushed the key into the ignition and sighed. Most days, meaning any day the she wasn't ill or tired, Maria was comparable to Elmo. Which meant that long, say . . . _Hour _long drives with her rambling was considered torture to Jacob. He could get her to shut up after the first ten minutes in the car if he put music on before she'd started talking, because eventually she'd tire of babbling when he was pretending he couldn't hear her over his poor rendition of Wannabe . . . Her favourite song.

Unfortunately for him, he'd missed his window to turn the Spice Girls on, meaning he'd have to listen to her insistent chatter for the duration of the hour long drive back to the estate.

And he wasn't looking forward to it.

In fact, after the infidelity claims, all he wanted was silence. With a wife like Maria though, it was nearly impossible.

"Or raw umber. We could swap and use the sea foam green in the nursery, it's a nice universal colour. We could play with golds and browns in Renesmee's room. Oh, I saw these amazing gold beaded pillows at a store last week . . ."

Jacob scratched the back of his neck and nodded.

". . . But I don't know if she likes gold. I should have asked. Maybe I should call Julie and ask her to make a list of Renesmee's favourite colours. What do you think, honey?"

What did he think? He remembered the look on the girl's face at the beginning of the interview, when his wife had bombarded her with talk about colours and bones and crap like that. She'd looked completely overwhelmed and right out of her element.

And she'd probably feel the same once she moved in with them. Moving to the estate from a tiny little apartment would be a big transition for her already, and the least they could do was let her make changes to her own room, and add her own personal touches. She'd be there for the better part of a year, and they wanted her to feel comfortable. Or, at least, Jacob did.

"I think we should leave the room white and let her decorate it herself. She's probably going to bring her own pillows and blankets with her," he said after a minute of silence.

Maria looked at him almost incredulously.

"But darling, that would be a violation of the contract, remember? Our chosen surrogated isn't allowed to bring any personal belongings with her. Well, other than clothes and shoes and whatnot."

"What? Where did it say that?" He asked, "I didn't see it in either of the contracts."

And more importantly, he hadn't approved of that term, so it shouldn't have been in there in the first place.

"That's because you don't read, Jacob. You skim," Maria chimed as she dug through her ridiculously big handbag. Probably searching for her lipstick, Jacob decided a few seconds later, because she couldn't go more than an hour without reapplying it.

"What's wrong with her bringing her own things with her?"

"It's just not suitable," Maria said. "She will need to remember that as soon as the baby is born, her time with us is over."

Jacob let his hands slip from the steering wheel and shook his head. He hated how she said everything like it was completely obvious, like it was stupid of him to question her in the first place. He _hated _it.

"What has that got to do with her personal belongings?"

"If she leaves her _valuables_ in that crummy little apartment of hers, she's got something to return to after the pregnancy."

Jacob shook his head again. He didn't fully understand why, but the sudden urge to shake his wife to bring her to her senses had him leaning towards her. Maybe it was because of her tone, the way she had spat the words out like the thought of a small, rundown place, like the house Jacob himself had grown up in, had disgusted her. Or maybe it was because of how inconsiderate she was being, seeing as Renesmee had lost her parents, then her caregivers and almost her brother in such a short period of time, and didn't have the means to rent another apartment as she was too busy taking care of her injured twin, studying, and working two jobs to pay off her debts. Maria had never known what it was like to be poor, so she had no right to judge Renesmee for it. And it was selfish of her to act like Renesmee was a burden, when the girl was giving them what she couldn't; a baby.

"Fucking hell!" Jacob snapped. "She's not stupid, Maria! She knows that she needs to leave after the baby is born. What do you think she's going to do? Live with us for another year or two? And that's if the bodyguards and drivers and rules against seeing her _brother _don't scare her off before we can even get her to sign the fucking contracts!"

Maria's nostrils flared.

"Yes," she hissed, "I do think she'll try to live with us for another year or two. Do you think she'll want to go back to her life after living in ours for nine months? Look at us, Jacob. Our lifestyle is first class. Hers is . . . Hers isn't even economy. Could you go back to flying coach after-"

"Maria-"

"Could you? And the bodyguards, they're to protect our investment, Jacob. I'm not going to have her get so far into the pregnancy only to have some crazed fan ruin it. As for her brother . . . He isn't even important. He's a vegetable, an inconvenience. If you think I'm letting her stress over a cripple and put the baby in danger-"

"Her brother isn't a vegetable or a fucking cripple, he's in a wheelchair! If you think I'm letting _you _keep her from seeing the only family member she has left for nine months, then you're delusional. She'll be more stressed if you keep her away from him. And don't fucking call our baby an investment!" He growled, his voice dangerously low.

The closer they got to having their long awaited baby, the more unprepared and trapped Jacob began to feel, like his did the months leading up to his wedding. He doubted he was ready for a baby, or rather, a baby with _Maria_, but he was too far in now.

He saw Maria flinch out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't bring himself to care. She was selfish, and rude and undeserving of the gift Renesmee was willing to give them. He straightened in his seat and turned the key in the ignition.

The drive back to the estate was silent. Maria sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her lipstick long forgotten and her blabbering non-existent. Jacob welcomed the quiet, though not so much the tense air that surrounded him. He'd wound down the window earlier, but it didn't seem to relieve his uneasiness. He wanted to say something to his wife. Not apologize, but say something to make her see how wrong she was, because Renesmee was a nice girl. He wouldn't have her treated as if she were an inconvenience. She was giving them a child and deserved privacy and comfort. She didn't deserve to be treated like a prisoner.

There was no way he'd allow her to be.

* * *

_Not a long chapter, but it's something. I am going to be uploading chapter two again, because I thought the ending was a little rushed and am going to be making a few tiny changes, so if you get an alert for that then ignore it._

_Thank you to the reviewers, and the alerters, and all readers (:_

_. . . Review . . . _

_xx_


	4. Chapter 4

_Warning! Swearing below!_

* * *

_Love, _Renesmee thought bitterly, _what was it good for?_

_Love _made people do stupid things, like, say, not telling your sister about your new girlfriend. Or perhaps, going for lunch with said girlfriend and ignoring said sister's frantic texts and calls because said sister had _no _idea where you were and what you doing and-

"Um, Renesmee, is it? Edward's told me all about you," the girl across from Renesmee said. Renesmee ran her eyes up and down the girl's body, from her pale blue toenails to her wide hazel eyes. She was kind of pretty, with her olive skin and wavy brunette locks, but her lips were a little too pouty for Renesmee's liking. Plus, they were smeared in a pinky-peachy coloured gloss that clashed with her skin tone.

The girl batted her eyelashes a few times, and Renesmee whimpered a little. Who was she kidding? The girl was like a mini Mila Kunis, and Renesmee hated her for it. For once, a pretty girl was actually interested in EJ, and maybe Renesmee would have been fine with that had it not been now, when she needed her twin the most. She was about to have a baby and then walk out of his or her life completely, and she'd need her brother's complete attention and support to do that, which she wouldn't get with his girlfriend around.

And if she were being completely honest, she also felt a little betrayed, too. Sure, EJ hadn't known about the surrogacy agreement, but couldn't he have told Renesmee that he didn't need her anymore _before _she signed the contracts?

No backing out now.

Renesmee took a deep breath and turned her attention to her brother.

"You didn't leave a note," she growled. "I thought you had- God! I didn't know where you were!"

EJ raised a busy brow at her.

"Do I need to tell you everything? I went out for Coffee, Ness. No big deal," he said casually, as if the torture he'd put his sister through this morning was nothing. Renesmee felt her face heat up. She balled her hands into fists at her sides to stop them from trembling.

"Yes, you do need to tell me everything! I'm your twin! _I _take care of you, and I need to know what you're doing and who with because if you hadn't noticed lately, you're not in the best condition to look after yourself! So don't say that this isn't a big deal, Edward, because it is!"

Renesmee knew it was a low blow to refer to his current condition, but she needed to get her point across. Until today, she'd been the only one he'd had. That meant that he'd relied on her to help him around the house, and take him out for dinner or breakfast or even a walk, because he couldn't do any of that alone. Getting out of his apartment was too tricky for him without someone else's help.

So when she'd arrived at his apartment and found it empty, she'd thought the worst. How had he left? Was he okay? What if he'd fallen out of his chair, or had been attacked by brutal muggers, or . . . The thoughts were endless and terrifying, and it had taken all she had not to curl up in a pathetic ball on the floor and curse God for making her brother so vulnerable in the first place.

"Jesus, Ness! Why are you being such a psycho about this? Is it because there's another girl in my life? Are you jealous?" Edward asked, glaring right back at his sister.

Renesmee looked over at mini Mila, and narrowed her eyes.

"No," she said. _Lie_, she thought. "This doesn't have anything to do with her," she said bitterly.

Truthfully, it had a lot to do with her. Did the girl think she could take Renesmee's place in Edward's life? Did she think that Renesmee would be happy that she'd secretly moved half her things into Renesmee's aunt's and uncle's house? Did she think that keeping her relationship with EJ from Renesmee would benefit anyone?

"I think it does," her brother replied. "You're jealous, and that's why you're acting out over something so minor as me leaving the house-"

"I am _not _acting out!" Renesmee yelled, her eyes stinging with hot tears, "I told you why I'm upset! Why don't you understand? I thought that you'd been taken, and you couldn't defend yourself, and then you weren't answering your phone and it was like losing someone all over again! You're the last person I have left, Edward, and I didn't know if you were lying in a ditch dead or unconscious somewhere and I can't have you leave me-"

Suddenly Edward was in front of her, pulling her onto his lap and shushing her while she bawled like a baby in his arms.

"Don't cry, Ness," EJ said. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt like that. I'm so sorry."

Renesmee clung to his shirt and buried her face into the thin material. It smelt like detergent and her brother's aftershave, and she snuggled closer.

Then, Renesmee remembered why she'd visited in the first place.

"EJ," she whispered, "I need to talk to you."

Edward looked down at her and winked - a trait he'd inherited off of their uncle - and then twisted his torso around slightly to look back over his shoulder.

"Amber," he said, "do you think you could run down the block and pick up a sandwich for Renesmee? I think she'll be staying for lunch."

"Sure," mini Mila said, and then, "what do you want on it, Renesmee?"

"Chicken, cheese and cranberry chutney," her brother answered for her. It'd been her favourite filling since she was a kid. She smiled up at him, and he winked back.

"Alright. See you soon."

Renesmee waited for the sound of the front door closing, and when it did, she wiped at her eyes and pushed her curls out of her face.

"So, what's up?"

She took a deep breath, and looked around the room. She was nervous to tell him, scared of what he'd think. What if he thought what she was doing was wrong? Renesmee shook the thoughts from her head. He was her brother and he loved her. He'd understand that she was doing it to benefit a couple, and to help pay off debts.

He had to.

"I-" Renesmee started, but she didn't know what to say, or rather, how to say that she was leasing her body for the next year. She rubbed her face and tried again.

"I'm signing a contract," she said. Edward raised an eyebrow.

"I looked it up on the internet, and it's a nice thing to do . . . I-"

Renesmee sighed. She wasn't getting anywhere. 'I'm signing a contract' wasn't much of an explanation, and neither was 'I looked it up on the internet, and it's a nice thing to do'. For all Edward knew, she could've signed a contract to be someone's submissive. Though she'd never, ever do that.

"There are couples," Renesmee tried to explain, "that can't have babies. And they . . . They pay, to have a girl carry their baby-"

"I know what surrogacy is, Ness," Edward said. His mouth pulled down into a small frown, and Renesmee smiled back weakly.

"Well, I, um, I know you- _we _need the money, and so I saw an ad for a couple seeking a surrogate mother, and . . . I'm young. I'm healthy and I thought that maybe I could help them."

Edward groaned and shook his head.

"Please tell me you didn't, Renesmee."

Renesmee twisted her fingers together and nodded slowly.

"They wanted to meet me, because I was the kind of girl they were looking for. And they're wealthy, Edward! They'll pay me one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars! I can't afford to turn this down. You can't, either. Imagine the bills it'll pay!"

"Is this some sick joke?" Her brother asked. Renesmee bit her lip and looked at her hands, still fisted in Edward's shirt.

"No."

She felt her brother sigh, and then his arms were pushing off of his lap, back onto her seat. Renesmee pulled her legs up to her chest and watched her brother carefully. She told herself that it wasn't anger on his face, it was . . . Something else. It was jealously! That was it! He was jealous that there'd be someone else more important to Renesmee than him for nine months. He was jealous of the baby she was going to have, because as long as she was pregnant, the baby would come first.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He suddenly said, his voice a harsh whisper. Renesmee jumped a little in her seat, and bit her lip.

"I was thinking we needed money, because I didn't want to spend each day wondering where our next meal was coming from."

"A baby, Renesmee. A fucking baby! You're having someone else's kid! Doesn't that seem at all strange to you!"

"No," Renesmee said. She was starting to feel a little stroppy. Her brother, being her brother, was meant to understand! He was meant to thank her for sacrificing her body and emotions to pay _his _hospital bills! And being a surrogacy mother wasn't at all a sick or strange thing! It was an amazing thing to do, to give a couple a child!

"And how do you think you're going to feel when they take the kid away from you?"

"I'll tell myself from the start that it isn't my baby to love. If I can do that, then it won't be so hard to leave after he or she is born."

"It's just fucked up, Ness! You're not a mother, you haven't been pregnant before. You said it yourself, you're young, and you don't know what you're doing!"

"I can do this!" Renesmee snapped. The look Edward was giving her was so harsh and heart breaking that she had to avert her eyes to the painting on the wall beside his head to keep herself from crying. Again.

Her grandmother had painted it two years before she died. The painting was of a pretty little meadow, with large bushes of purple wildflowers beneath a pink and purple sky. Renesmee had inherited the painting after her aunt and uncle died, but because EJ kept the house, she had decided to let the picture stay in its rightful place. It would have been strange to see it on any other wall.

Edward sighed, and shook his head roughly.

"You can't do this," he said. "It'll break you. Having a baby and then giving it up . . . Jesus, what're you going to do? Ignore the fact that the baby exists for nine months? And what about your studies?"

Renesmee pushed herself off the seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She stood over her brother, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

"Why are you being such an ass? Can't you just support me? I'm doing this for you!" Fury swam in her brother's eyes as he stared up at her.

"No. I can't- I won't support you if you do this. If you go ahead with the surrogacy deal, you're on your own, champ."

Renesmee blinked. How dare he? He dare he threaten to abandon her! They were bonded, they were twins! He would never survive without her!

"It's an empty threat," she said bitterly. "I'm the only one you've got left. You need me."

"You're wrong," her brother replied. "_I'm_ the only one _you've _got left."

As if on cue, the front door slammed shut.

"I'm back," mini Mila called down the hallway. "I brought back milk too, EJ, because I saw you're running low."

"I _don't _need you," Edward whispered to Renesmee, his lips twisting into a cruel smirk. "Amber looks after me. I look after her. But who have you got to look after you, Renesmee?"

No one, Renesmee thought. As of that moment, no one. And the realisation hurt more than anything.

Mini Mila pushed the living room door open, her eyes widening as she stepped into the room, the scent of her zesty perfume trailing behind her. How horrible, Renesmee thought, that the last thing she'd smell in her aunt and uncle's home was the perfume of the girl that was taking her brother from her.

Because in some twisted way, that was exactly what mini Mila was doing; taking EJ from Renesmee. If Edward hadn't met or started dating mini Mila, surely he never would have considered abandoning his twin, not if she was the only person he had in his life . . . Right?

"Everything alright?" Mini Mila asked, her eyes darting between Edward's and Renesmee's faces.

"Fine," Renesmee murmured, her eyes still locked on her brother's. "I'll take a rain check on lunch. I have contracts to sign."

Edward's jaw tensed, his eyes burning with rage.

Without saying another word, Renesmee pushed past her brother's wheelchair and stormed out of the house.

Renesmee tugged her cell phone from her back pocket and looked at the caller ID. Her heart sunk as she read the name. Not her brother.

"Jacob?" Renesmee asked after registering the voice on the other end of the phone, "Is something wrong?"

"No," the man said. "It's good, in fact. I've talked to Maria, and we've agreed to make a few changes to the contract. The first being that you'll have full access to your brother, whenever you want. Maria has realised that it isn't fair for us to keep you from him."

Renesmee sniffed, and rubbed at her eyes. Too late, she thought. It wasn't important now.

* * *

_Did you know they say that twins are lovers reborn? I don't know who 'they' are, but you know, it's strange. Don't you think? Because I kind of understand that, knowing twins myself. I don't know. Ponder that in your reviews._

_And about those reviews, thank you all so much! There's almost ten reviews per chapter, and though it may not feel like it to you, it actually makes me work faster. This chapter probably could've taken a lot longer had I only had two or three reviews on the last chapter._

_But I'm not going to start rambling._

_You know, I kind of got star struck after reading a review for the last chapter. I mean, I really, really, really like all of my readers, but this one reader who reviewed has a load of J/R stories that I kind of fangirl about (it's not SheeWolf85, though I do love her) and I was shocked, to say the least. She told me my story was good, and those are the reviews I love the most, because they're flattering and you feel like you're actually getting somewhere! Like you're improving, and it's always nice to have someone telling you you're doing a good job!_

_Bloody hell, I rambled anyway._

_Righteo, I'm leaving now. I'll be around though, therefore will reply to reviews. Toodles!_

_Oh, and thank you to SheeWolf85 and WolfGirl1335 for pre-reading this chapter. And again, WolfGirl1335, for giving me mini Mila's real name, Amber._


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you for the reviews! I'll be re-uploading chapters two and four, because I think they need a little bit added to them. I'm adding small details, so you don't need to reread them after they're uploaded, because you won't miss anything. _

_So, you may receive an alert sometime before the next chapter._

_This is a tiny chapter, but it's needed before we start getting into the big things. _

_Toodles!_

* * *

"Miss Cullen," Leah said, "Take a seat. There are a few minor details we need to discuss, and then you can sign the final documents and be on your way."

Renesmee pushed the office door shut behind her, and held her steaming mug of coffee tightly between her near frozen hands. A boy had been in Julie's place at the front desk that morning, shuffling through papers and tapping away at the keyboard enthusiastically. He'd offered Renesmee a coffee as she waited for her appointment with Leah, and she had accepted gratefully. It seemed to her as if the temperature had dropped drastically between the time she'd left the house and gotten off the subway, and having worn nothing more than a black dress and pair of flats, Renesmee was shivering by the time she'd walked the two blocks to Leah's office.

"Renesmee," Renesmee murmured. "Please, call me Renesmee."

Leah ignored her comment and motioned to the seat opposite herself.

"Where's Julie?" Renesmee asked as she slid into the seat. Leah regarded her with a look that practically told her to be quiet and mind her own business, but Renesmee brushed it off. Leah didn't intimidate Renesmee as much as she initially had now that the Blacks wanted Renesmee as their surrogate. Leah worked for Jacob and Maria, and couldn't possibly be rude to the lady that was going to carry their child now, could she?

"She's running a few errands," Leah said.

"Who's the boy behind the counter? He's nice."

Renesmee brought her drink up to her lips and smiled to herself. Not only was he nice, but he made the perfect coffee, too.

"You're not here to talk about boys," Leah snapped. "Now, I've made you a copy of the final contract."

Leah pushed a small binder across the desk, and Renesmee wedged her cup between her legs to look at it. Inside the black folder sat twelve printed pages, seven of which containing various rules and restrictions and requirements of Renesmee during her pregnancy. Ridiculous, was Renesmee's first thought. And it was ridiculous, because all the rules, restrictions and requirements grew increasingly peculiar as Renesmee read on.

One hundred and fifteen thousand dollars, was Renesmee's second thought.

"Mr and Mrs Black have already signed your copy, but I need you to sign their copy, and my copy before I can have Seth make an appointment for the insemination procedure. Before that takes place though, you'll be required to give a urine sample for a drug test to-"

"Is that the boy's name? Seth?" Renesmee asked. Drug tests be damned, knowing the name of the kind coffee god downstairs was more important.

"Yes," Leah replied. "Seth Clearwater."

Clearwater. Why did that name sound so familiar?

Renesmee swallowed and turned her attention back to the binder in her hands. She'd never suspected Leah to be the cradle-snatching type.

* * *

"Seth Clearwater, where on earth are you?"

Seth smirked and then winked at Renesmee, and a pretty pink blush spread across her face. He loved it.

"Seth!" His sister growled.

"I'm taking Renesmee on a tour of the city," he replied, his eyes glued to the girl in front of him. She was beautiful, he thought. He briefly wondered what he'd seen in Jess; after all, he'd had to have had a reason to ask her out on a date in the first place, right? Maybe it had been her boobs, or maybe it'd been because he'd subconsciously doubted his sexuality due to his lack of girlfriends. But for whatever reason it was, it didn't matter. Jess was nothing compared to Renesmee.

"And you just left the front desk unmanned?" Leah screeched. Seth held the phone away from his ear and rolled his eyes.

"You don't have another appointment for two hours. It's fine," he said.

"If you think I'm going to pay you for this . . ." His sister threatened.

Seth hung up and shoved the phone into his back pocket. When had she ever paid him for filling in for Julie?

Renesmee held out his hotdog she'd been minding, and smiled.

"I hope you didn't get into too much trouble," she said.

Seth shook his head and bit into his hotdog. His sister could be a bitch at times, but she'd never gone as far as to confiscate his things or ground him. After all, he _was _twenty-two. Plus, a lecture from his sister was worth spending an hour or two with Renesmee. Seth had discovered that not only was she attractive, but she liked the same things as him. She liked hotdogs, and he liked hotdogs. She liked parks, he liked parks. She liked walking, he liked walking! It was like they were meant to be.

"Boy, you eat fast," Renesmee said.

Seth looked down at his hotdog, and noticed that he had, in fact, eaten it exceptionally fast. He smirked to himself and patted his belly.

"So," Renesmee started, "did your sister tell you about the surrogacy thing?"

Seth didn't miss that Renesmee had stressed the word 'sister'. At first, when Seth had asked her out to lunch, Renesmee had refused and told him that she didn't think his wife, Leah, would be too happy with that. After the initial wave of repulsion passed, he'd been able to tell her that Leah was not at all his wife. She was his sister.

"Yeah," Seth replied. "How do you feel about all of it?"

"Scared, I think. I'm scared of being pregnant, and I'm scared that I won't be able to control my own emotions when the baby is born . . ."

"I'm not going to lie," Seth said, frowning at the solemn look on her face. "It's gonna suck. Leaving the baby is probably the hardest thing you'll do in your life. At least, that's what Leah told me."

Renesmee nodded and licked her lips.

"I'm not . . . Ready for a baby though. Even if I wanted a baby, I couldn't take care of one."

"But you think that that's going to make it hurt any less at the end of the nine months?"

Renesmee shook her head.

"No, not at all."

* * *

_What did you think?_

_It looks like Seth has a bit of a crush on Renesmee. _

_REVIEW or Mr Black DIES._


	6. Chapter 6

_Wow! Two updates in the same day. Thank you, study leave. You see, I really do try to write whenever I've got the time. I don't mean to go so long without updating sometimes!_

_Chapter six already. I won't say much more until the bottom of the chapter. _

_Thank you to my reviewers! You're all lovely, but the reviewers get extra attention. _

_So these readers are the best: _

_**WolfGirl1335, iBs, pinkpower, mojojojo152, TwilightSy, Dazzler916, SheeWolf85, Lyssa17 and JustcallmeRiley. **_

_I really like you._

* * *

"Talk about high maintenance," Jacob grumbled to himself as he watched Maria flounce out of the room. Little Claire clasped her hand over her mouth beside him, trying to hold in the giggles that Jacob knew were threatening to burst from her lips. He looked down at her, a playful smirk on his face, and then started tickling her sides.

"You think that was funny, punk?" he asked as she writhed around on the barstool, giggling and squealing as his fingers attacked her waist.

"Stop," she gasped between squeals, "Uncle Jacob!"

Jacob chuckled and moved his hands back to the ciabatta sandwich that sat on the counter in front of

him. Claire sat stiffly for a second regaining her breath, and then picked up hers as well.

"Why doesn't Maria like bacon?" she asked.

Jacob shrugged.

"Beats me. Maybe she's on a diet again," he said. Or maybe the stress of the media was making her act out again, he thought.

"But she's already skinny."

Jacob sighed.

"Clairebear, I've been married to that lady for four years, and I still haven't figured out how her mind works. When I do, I'll let you know."

He took a chunk out of his sandwich, and leaned over to chew noisily by the little girl's ear. She scrunched up her face and swatted at his cheek before taking a bite out of her own sandwich.

"Do you think I need to go on a diet, Uncle Jake?" Claire asked as she ate.

Jacob chuckled and ruffled the nine year olds hair.

"As long as I can throw you over my shoulder, you're fine Kid."

* * *

"Jacob!" Maria screeched. "Honey!"

Jacob sped into the room and found his wife sitting on the edge of their bed, clutching the phone against her chest. Her face expertly clear, completely void of emotion. The last time he'd seen her look so . . . neutral, she'd accused him of cheating and had thrown a magazine with his face on it at him when he'd denied.

"What is it?"

A wide smile stretched across her face, and suddenly she was running across the room into his arms and peppering kisses up and down his jaw.

"Renesmee signed the contracts!" Maria said, leaning back to beam at Jacob. "We've got our surrogate! We're going to get our baby!"

Jacob couldn't help but grin like an idiot then. He'd have a son or daughter in a matter of months! Imagine that! Jacob, Maria, and baby. They'd be the perfect family.

"I love you," Jacob said. And he meant it more in that moment than ever.

* * *

Renesmee placed the phone back down on the cradle and glared at it as if it were the cause of all her problems. But really, _she_ was the one causing her own problems. She wouldn't be such a burden to herself if she could just grow a pair.

Because really, she was making a simple phone call a big deal, when all she had to do was pick up the phone and dial the number on the card. Easy, right?

Wrong. She had no idea what he'd say. She didn't even know if he'd answer. What was she meant to do if he didn't answer?

She sighed and cursed her pathetic girly nerves.

Renesmee told herself to get over it. That she'd have to talk to him sometime. After all, she'd be seeing him around a lot.

She groaned and dropped her head into her hands. Stupid boys. All they did was confuse her. Every single one of them.

She decided to shower first. Then she'd try to talk to him.

So Renesmee took a long shower, dressed and then dusted on a little makeup. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she moved back into the living room and began her staring match with the phone again.

She lost.

But not five minutes later, the phone started ringing. She jumped up off of the sofa and swiped it up off of the table eagerly.

_Please_, she thought as she looked up at the ceiling, willing God to listen to her. _Please let it be him._

She took a deep breath and then answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Renesmee?"

Renesmee breathed a sigh of relief, and before she knew it she was smiling like a loon.

"Seth," she said. "I was just-"

She cut herself off, biting down on her lip. Would she have sounded too desperate if she'd told him that she'd just been about to call him?

"You were just . . ." he prompted.

"I was just about to go out," she lied, fingering the hem of her top. She'd play it cool, she decided. Apparently boys liked that.

"Oh. Is now not a good time?" Seth asked.

But did playing it cool mean blowing Seth off?

"I- Um, no. I was going to the bank, but it can wait," she told him.

"It's a Sunday. Doesn't the bank close in an hour?"

Renesmee looked up at the clock and cursed under her breath. Seth was right.

"Yeah, uh, I meant an ATM."

"Well, if you're not busy after-"

"I'm not," she rushed.

Seth chuckled. "Okay," he said slowly. "Then do you want to go to lunch?"

Renesmee grinned and mouthed her thanks to the ceiling slash God.

"I'd love to," she said.

"Cool. If you give me your address, I'll pick you up at twelve?"

"Sure, um, I'll text it through to you."

Her phone beeped, and Renesmee sighed. Of course she'd suddenly become popular when she was in the middle of a conversation with a cute boy. _Merveilleux_.

"Seth, I have another call coming through.I'll see you at twelve."

"It's a date," he said.

Renesmee squeaked a little.

"Bye," she murmured before she hung up.

* * *

"That was your sister calling when we were talking," Renesmee said as she pushed her keys into her bag. "As of today, I'm a thousandaire."

"Huh?" Seth asked, offering his arm to Renesmee.

"The Blacks deposited fifteen thousand dollars into my bank account last night," she said, linking her arm around his.

Seth turned to say something -he didn't know what, but he was aiming for some sort of congratulations- and then closed his mouth when he noticed her small frown and furrowed brows. He pulled her a little closer, holding back a victorious fist pump when he felt her lean into him.

"You're not happy about that?" he asked.

Renesmee bit her lip and looked down at the ground. Seth didn't push her for an answer. Instead, he started walking, letting her set the pace beside him.

"I don't know," Renesmee murmured when they were halfway down the street. "I'm thankful for the money, really, but . . . Leah told me that the Blacks want to start the insemination process on Tuesday."

Seth swallowed. Tuesday? As in the day after the next? How was he meant to get to know the girl if the Blacks wanted to start prodding at her on Tuesday?! Suddenly, he didn't like Mr Black as much as he initially had.

"That's two days," he said.

Renesmee nodded.

"Yeah. Two days."

The two walked in silence for a few minutes after that, both absorbed in their thoughts.

"I didn't know things would go this fast, you know?" Renesmee said suddenly, bringing Seth back from his bitter thoughts. "I mean, I could be pregnant this time next week. It's terrifying."

And it was terrifying. Seth liked the girl. Really liked her. So much so, he wanted one of those sappy, movie-like relationships with her. And to think that she'd be pregnant soon, with a married man's baby . . . Well, terrifying was one word for it.

"Yeah," Seth agreed weakly. "It fucking sucks."

Had he really said that out loud?

Renesmee giggled and looked up at him.

"I wouldn't say that," she said. "I mean, the moving part kind of sucks, but-"

"What moving part?" he asked. Leah hadn't mentioned anything about moving.

"Oh, um . . . The Blacks, they want me to move to their estate for the duration of the pregnancy."

Was God seriously trying to fuck with him? How the hell was he meant to have the sappy movie-like relationship with her if she was over an hour away?

"The estate. Cazzo perfetto," he grumbled to himself.

"What was that?" Renesmee asked.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

* * *

_Before you start with the WTF SETH hate, I'm going to tell you that no matter how hurtful your comments are to him, he's not leaving any time soon. I'm a sucker for love triangles, and that means that Seth stays. _

_Deal with it._

_I've got another new J/R fic, too. I don't normally promote my own fics in fics, but I thought today I would because I only got one review for the new chapter and it's a little upsetting._

_It's Polaroid. It involves Jacob and Renesmee and a baby named Nathan._

_..._

_But please do review (:_


	7. Chapter 7

_New chapter. Lovely._

_Thank you to: **Knackard (x6), Rosy, Wolf Under An Ink Spell, JustcallmeRiley, mojojojo152, WolfGirl1335, SLM84, Noble Korhedron, sweet and sassy nessie, Fangirl44, SheeWolf85, pinkpower, Lyssa17 and TwilightSy. **_

_That's the most reviews for a chapter of Baby Black so far! Wow!_

* * *

They held hands on the way back from their date lunch, much to Renesmee's delight. As clichéd as it sounded, Renesmee was convinced that Seth wasn't the same as most guys. He was a man of his own kind, Superman, maybe.

It was Seth, and Seth alone, that made Renesmee feel comfortable and content. He filled the void that her brother had recently left in her life. He wasn't her twin and he didn't stop her from thinking about Edward, but he made her feel less alone, and Renesmee wanted to savour that feeling.

Because in a matter of months, a beautiful baby would be taken from her, leaving another tear in her heart. That day would be the lowest she'd felt yet.

"What are you thinking about?" Seth asked with a gentle squeeze of her hand.

"You," Renesmee lied.

Seth grinned, thrilled with her answer. He dropped her hand to wrap his arm around her waist, and then he brought her body closer to his. Renesmee, feeling bold, leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What else are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you've gone all silent," Seth said.

Renesmee sighed.

"I'm thinking about Tuesday," she admitted with a frown.

Unfortunately, time continued to move forward, toward Tuesday's clinic appointment. Renesmee was scared, all kinds of scared, and upset. Scared because she was signing away her body for nine months and upset because she was going against her brother.

And going against Edward meant that for the first time in her life she was doing something to spite her twin. She'd expected that by doing so she'd feel liberated or . . . something. Not awful. Certainly not how she felt now.

"I was thinking about Tuesday too," Seth said, rubbing his thumb up and down her side, "and I was wondering if you'd let me walk you to the clinic?"

Renesmee pushed her curls out of her face and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Seth, it's a fifteen minute drive from my apartment."

"That's why we'd walk," he said. "We'd need to leave a lot earlier, but I kind of figured that walking would give you extra time to clear your thoughts or mentally prepare yourself or something."

Renesmee was silent for a few seconds, watching the pavement move beneath her feet. Then she lifted her head and pressed a kiss to Seth's cheek.

"Thank you," she said. "I'd love that."

"Don't be freaked out by me saying this, Renesmee, but I know that this surrogacy thing is a big deal. And I want to be there for you through it, if you'll let me."

"Ok," she stuttered, shocked by his little revelation . . . if that was what you could call it. Her thoughts had turned in to a bit of a jumbled mess the second her lips had touched his dashing face, and it certainly didn't help that Seth was being even more caring and sweet and lovely than normal. It made her wonder what he was doing with a girl like _her, _a girl that would have still been an awkward, clumsy twenty year old virgin if it weren't for the help of fake IDs and alcohol.

It also made her wonder what terrific, spectacular thing she'd done lately to please the man in the clouds, because she sure as hell couldn't have bagged Seth on her own.

"Ok?" Seth repeated dryly.

"Yeah, I . . ."

Renesmee trailed off, at a loss for words. What could she say? Seth had told her that he wanted to be there for her. No one had _ever _done that before. It felt as if he'd just confessed his undying love for her!

Boy, did she hate the naive little girl she was.

So instead of forcing herself to say something, Renesmee took Seth's hand again and started to walk, giving his hand a small squeeze when he started to follow. Her actions for the rest of their date would have to suffice, because there was no way she could say what she thought when she didn't know what to think.

* * *

Some days, Seth wished he'd been an only child.

"What do you mean, 'another date'?" Leah snapped, slapping her handbag down on the counter rather dramatically.

"What does it sound like?" Seth said. "I'm taking Renesmee out again tomorrow night."

"What about Jess? You know, the girl you liked _before _Renesmee."

Seth sighed.

"Jess is cool," he said. "But I don't want to date her."

"You did last week!"

"BUT I don't now. I'm dating Renesmee."

Leah scoffed and folded her arms over her chest.

Seth didn't understand his sister's obvious annoyance toward Renesmee. Renesmee hadn't done anything to her. In fact, Renesmee had actually saved her ass from getting fired by the Blacks when she had been struggling to find a surrogate. Leah should have been grateful.

But no, his sister was Leah Clearwater. She wasn't grateful for anything. She'd been a frosty bitch ever since her bitter reunion with Sam Uley, but Seth didn't dare say that to her. He'd learned the hard way that 'bitch' and 'Sam' didn't fit in the same sentence when talking to his sister.

Then again, just because he couldn't say it didn't mean he couldn't think it.

"You two are dating now?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, I guess we are," he said. _How is it any of your fucking business? _he thought.

Leah leaned her hip against the counter and shot him her lawyer glare. Too bad it hadn't scared Seth since he'd hit puberty.

"She's moving to the Black's estate so she can have their baby, Seth. That doesn't repulse you at all?"

Seth shook his head. In all honesty, it didn't. If anything, it showed how selfless and sweet Renesmee really was.

"No."

"Then you're an idiot," Leah said.

"And you're a cow," he grumbled under his breath. Leah glared at him, and he knew she'd heard. He couldn't help but smirk.

"I just don't think dating Renesmee is a good idea. She's about to get herself into a whole load of trouble with this surrogacy agreement and I don't want you dragged into that." Leah slung her bag strap over her shoulder and sighed. "We'll talk about this later."

* * *

Maria had gone mad.

And Jacob wasn't the only one who thought it. Little Claire stood beside him, partly hiding behind his legs as Maria pranced around the room directing painters and decorators to the left and right of the large room.

It was meant to be the nursery, and although Jacob thought it was a bit excessive to have decorators fly in on the day they'd found out that Renesmee had signed the contracts, or to have decorators at all, he didn't dare say a thing to his wife. He didn't feel like starting an argument, even though he felt a little like he was being robbed of the whole traditional 'incoming baby' experience. Wasn't it _his _job, as the husband and father of the baby, to paint the nursery?

But Maria was being robbed of the most. She didn't get to experience pregnancy - another girl would be doing that for her. Then there was the fact that Maria would never have the chance of having a baby that was biologically _hers._

And Jacob knew that by letting Maria decorate to her heart's desire, he was letting her into the whole surrogacy deal. He was letting her have a job, have a part in it. After all, he donated the sperm, and Renesmee donated the body . . . what was there for Maria to do? Sit around for nine months?

"Uncle Jake," Claire whispered, "d'ya think we could leave without Maria knowing?"

Jacob looked down at the girl and raised a dark brow.

"Is that a challenge, kid?"

Claire nodded, and then pressed a finger over her lips. She started to walk backward, balancing carefully on the balls of her feet while watching the back of Maria's head closely.

"C'mon!" She whisper-yelled once she reached the doorway. "I'll let you beat me at soccer!"

Jacob grinned. The girl could dream.

Before he too could sneak out of the room though, Maria spoke.

"Clairebear, where are you going?"

Jacob watched in amusement as Claire's eyes widened. She looked at him, pleading for help, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"She's just getting me a water, babe," Jacob said. He didn't turn back to Maria, but he could tell that she'd turned her attention elsewhere when Claire's shoulders relaxed and she breathed out a sigh of relief, as if she'd just survived a run-in with Hitler, not her aunt.

Jacob then found himself momentarily stunned; did Claire really think Maria was that bad? Surely she couldn't. Jacob knew that his wife was rude and rather bossy at times, but he'd never seen her do anything to upset Claire. Well, other than the time he'd let Maria decide Claire's punishment for breaking a vase during a temper tantrum . . .

Was it possible that Claire was still holding a grudge against Maria about that? Or had Maria said or done something to Claire when he hadn't been around?

He quickly shook the thought from his head. There was no way his wife would have done something like that. Maria wasn't always the nicest person but she'd never do anything to hurt or scare Claire.

His wife wasn't _that _bad . . .

Was she?

* * *

_I've got a really, really horrible teaser ready for you readers. _

_But._

_I think I need to think about it a little longer._

_If you'd be interested in reading it, leave a comment in your review saying so._

_It's a sentence, though. That's all. A sentence. Keep that in mind._

_Depending on the responses, I'll post it with the next chapter / PM it with the next chapter._

_Maybe not. I'm not sure yet. Let me know, anyway._

_But you'd better get reviewing!_

_(:_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hi to the new readers/reviewers from the last chapter!_

_I really like these people: **Wolf Under An Ink Spell, mojojojo152, Knackard, pinkpower, Fangirl44, SheeWolf85, jammin2788, Floridagirl13, TwilightSy, gleegirlforlife998, JustcallmeRiley, WolfGirl1335, chelsea, SLM84, crocadile1986, Babigurlswagger, Guest.**_

_I'm so tired right now. I'm sorry if I got any names wrong! _

* * *

The tiny gold clock, clasped tightly in Claire's hand, ticked rhythmically against her palm, pulsing and beating as if it were a weathered, fragile little second heart. It's slight sound drowned by her urgent whisper, Claire struggled to draw comfort from it, and pressed it harder into her hand until she thought her fingers would snap off.

"Please, God," she said, "send my parents back to me."

* * *

Renesmee handed the lady behind the counter her debit card, and with no attempt to contain the blissful contentedness that arrived with the ten thousand dollar payment from the Blacks, she bounced on the heels of her feet as she waited for the sales assistant to run it through the small machine.

It was nice, she thought, to not need to run to the sales section of a store for once.

"That's seventy-nine, ninety," the lady said. "Do you have a membership card?"

"No," Renesmee replied. The lady nodded and then swiped Renesmee's debit card. Renesmee punched in her pin and relished in the feeling of satisfaction that ran through her once the 'payment accepted' sign flashed on the screen. The sales assistant printed the receipt, folded it, and then put it in the cotton bag that contained Renesmee's new outfit, the one she'd specifically bought with Seth and their date in mind.

The lady handed Renesmee the bag and then rushed off to help another customer in the fitting rooms. Renesmee peeked in her bag, caught sight of the gold material, and bit down on her lip, hiding a smug smile so as not to look like a complete idiot in the middle of a busy store.

She left then, pausing outside the glass doors of the building to shoot the sales assistant a sympathetic look. Since she'd arrived, the lady had been running around after customers, almost sprinting from one end of the store to the other as she juggled the counter and the changing rooms at the same time. Somehow, she'd managed to fit Renesemee in, and had listened to Renesmee explain Seth's cryptic date riddles and had then helped her find the perfect thing to wear. She'd even recommended a pair of heels to complete the outfit that a boutique down the street sold. And although the lady was a hell of a good sales assistant (the outfit she'd chosen for Renesemee had been nothing short of perfect), she was flat out, being the only one rostered on for the day.

The lady didn't look back at her, so Renesmee started down the street, toward the boutique that had been pointed out to her. The shoes, she'd been told, looked like normal black platforms, but had little black studs on the back of them. And apparently, if the assistant's word was anything to go by (which Renesmee knew it was), wearing the heels were as close as any girl could get to comfortable, unless prepared to spend a load of money on a foam padded pair. Or whatever.

Renesmee sighed delightedly as the bag swung backward and forward through the air in time with her steps. Things were working nicely, running smoothly. Her debts were being sorted, her wardrobe being restocked, and her confidence slowly building. Then there was the date with a certain man in a few hours time that made her want to waltz down the sidewalk like a loony Disney Princess, and the crummy apartment that'd be left behind in a few days . . .

Of course, there were the negatives, such as her brother and the turkey baster process the next day, but she tried to ignore those as much as she could. Her brother was stubborn, sure, but there was absolutely no way he'd survive without her for more than a month, so Renesmee just needed to wait. And as for the insemination . . . Well, the nurse she'd met with earlier in the day had assured her that it wouldn't hurt. It'd only be slightly uncomfortable.

Negatives aside, the world was quickly becoming a lovely place, growing more wondrous as the day progressed. What a shame that it took signing away her body for Renesmee to notice it.

* * *

Bonnie Jessica Lowman had been in love with a boy name Seth Clearwater for a long, long time. The second she'd laid eyes on him in the tenth grade, she'd all but branded her name on his adorable little right butt cheek. It was rather unfortunate, though, that _he _hadn't laid eyes on _her _until her breasts had ballooned from an A Cup to a D Cup and she'd made the swap from overalls to daisy dukes.

Nevertheless, he'd noticed her for the first time, and Bonnie was _not _going to let his eyes stray. From trial and error, she'd found that Seth preferred the typical beachy, big boobed blonde type, which worked in her favour. She'd started to wear lower cut tops around him, and flaunted as much of her bronzed skin as she could without being labelled a whore. And when all that had gotten was a 'hi' out of him, Bonnie started to swap bread for lettuce and juice for protein shakes, and learned to blow off papers to spend time at the gym. Finally, after three months of dieting and Pilates, Seth started an actual conversation with her, and asked for her number afterward!

Bonnie had been ecstatic when Seth had asked her out on a date. They'd seen a movie, and he'd held her hand through it. They'd shared popcorn and he'd let her hide behind his shoulder whenever a monster jumped out from behind something. Bonnie had promised herself that she'd _never _forget the feeling of Seth's hand in hers, warm and soft and his thumb running circles over her skin. After the movie, Seth had kissed her outside the movie theatre. His lips had been sweet from the cola he'd been drinking, and although he'd held Bonnie a little too loosely, the kiss had been perfect.

Bonnie fell more in love with Seth, then. He was perfect, he even tasted perfect! He must have known that cherry cola was her favourite!

But things started to change over the next four days. Seth stopped replying to her texts, Facebook messages and Skype calls. He avoided her in class, and when she tried to set up study dates with him, he all but ran out of the room. And what was more horrifying, he acted like he was always excited about something! Bonnie didn't know what it was, but it was hard to miss the way his foot bounced up and down in the last few seconds of a period, and how when the bell finally rang, he'd run right out of class.

Determined to see what Seth was so enthusiastic about - was it a new video game? Because she'd need to learn it quick if it was, and find out a way to bring it up in a conversation - Bonnie followed him after class one day, and almost vomited right in someone's rose bush when she found out that he was not at all excited about a video game.

He was holding hands with a girl. The girl was pretty, the kind of pretty-but-I-don't-know-I'm-pretty way. She had auburn hair, and big eyes, though they were a boring shade of brown. She was short, not all-legs like Bonnie was, and wore a dainty dress with a cardigan and a pair of flats, that suggested that 'slut' probably wasn't a word in her vocabulary. The girl's boobs were almost none existent, and she was as pale as a polar bear. It was strange, because the girl was the complete opposite of the type of girl that Seth had always been interested in - the complete opposite of Bonnie! So it didn't make much sense to why he was walking with her.

Bonnie tried to make excuses, for Seth or for herself, she didn't know. But she just couldn't seem to convince herself that Seth and the girl were anything other than lovers, because there was no mistaking that laugh of Seth's. That laugh that Bonnie knew said 'This is right where I want to be.' That laugh that broke Bonnie's heart right in half.

* * *

_ I know you're all itching to read the exciting bits, trust me, I am too, but I've been so busy this is all I've managed tonight. I haven't read any updates on FFn lately, because as I said, I've been busy. I've barely had the time to write this! So if I haven't reviewed your story if I read it, I'm sorry!_

_But, in saying that, I'm going to try to get the next chapter up as fast as I can. This chapter is boring, really, but it's been so long since I've updated that I thought you readers needed _something.

_Thoughts on Claire? Bonnie? Guesses on Seth's date? I'll let you know now, Bonnie's not mental. A lot of you know what a girl will do to get a boy's attention. And Bonnie isn't going to be some kind of scorned lover, either._

_Oh, and Bonnie is Jess, if you didn't pick that up!_

_Review if you feel the need (:_

_Toodles xxx_


	9. Chapter 9

_Listening to depressing music doesn't help whilst attempting to write a lovely little romantic scene. Take my word. This chapter is going to mess you up a bit, I think. It kind of leaps around, from Jacob to Renesmee to sjigsgnsgsogj and you may not be too . . . You may be annoyed. I am. I planned this all and then when I tried to write it the words wouldn't write and the characters were being stubborn and Maria wanted to be nice instead of mean and I wanted to smother myself with my pillow. _

_But I didn't._

_Oh and the chapter is kind of really boring._

_I really, really like: __**mojojojo152, SLM84, Wolf Under An Ink Spell, JustcallmeRiley, SheeWolf85, Knackard, Noble Korhedron, xXxDay-ZxXx, **__and __**pinkpower.**_

* * *

"Breakfast for Mrs Black," Jacob announced, a silver tray balanced on his hand and a smirk on his face. Maria blinked the sleep out of her eyes and sat back against the leather headboard of their bed.

"You're being awfully sweet . . . What have you done this time?" she teased, a tired smile gracing her face as she stared up at her husband.

Jacob sat down on the side of the bed, and placed the tray gently on her lap before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Claire made the eggs," he said.

"Oh, isn't that nice." Maria turned her attention to the tray of food resting on her legs, and started to push her fruit salad around in the bowl with the fork. Jacob waited for her to eat; he'd made it all, apart from the eggs, himself, and he wanted to know what she thought. He'd never been great in the kitchen, but the recipes he'd had his sister send him had been helpful enough.

Maria didn't bring the fork to her mouth though. She continued to play with her food as the clock ticked away on the far wall of the room.

"Are you not hungry?" Jacob asked after a few minutes of silence. Maria frowned, and then looked up at him, perfect brows furrowed.

"No, I- I'd like to talk to you, before breakfast."

"Okay," Jacob said, his voice rising slightly as if he were asking a question. He settled himself on the bed, and then turned to face his wife.

"I'm sorry for what I said, and how I acted on Wednesday," Maria said. "I shouldn't have been so horrid about Renesmee, and so inconsiderate to you. I was jealous, but that was no excuse for my behaviour and I regret that you had to see that. I'm sorry, Jacob."

Jacob kissed her head again. "Why were you jealous?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm your wife, and I'm not able to give you what you want. Renesmee's a stranger, and . . . I wish I could have your children, Jacob, for your sake _and _mine. But I can't, and watching Renesmee, the girl who _can _have children, the girl that'll be pregnant, with _your _baby, waddle around the house . . . It's going to be hard on me. So please do try to understand that if I act terribly sometimes, it's because of that, okay?"

Jacob nodded; his face buried in her hair, and murmured his agreement.

"There's another thing I wanted to talk to you about," Maria said. "It's- I've done something I shouldn't have. And I think I need your help to fix it."

"What is it?" Jacob asked. He heard her sigh, and he sat up a little straighter, taking her hand in his.

Maria swallowed loudly and squeezed his fingers.

"It's about Claire."

* * *

Julie sighed and shoved the covers off of her face, her alarm screaming bloody murder on the bedside table. Marlow licked his paw thoughtfully and then leaped on to her bed to snuggle up between her legs.

"You're twelve hours too late for cuddles, Marley," she grumbled to the tabby, nudging his chubby form with the side of her leg. He looked up, glared at her leg, glared at her, and then dropped his head onto his paws again.

Julie pushed the blankets further down her body, exposing her skin to the icy autumn air. She gasped and leaned over to snatch her silk gown off of the floor beside her bed, and shoved her arms through it.

Damn cold.

She dragged herself out of bed, much to Marlow's horror, and rubbed at her eyes. She turned off her alarm, checked her phone, and then padded into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. There were two new messages, the first from Leah and the next from her brother, telling her that he needed a couch to sleep on because his wife had filed for a divorce.

Julie couldn't say she was surprised - the couple had been a sham from the start. It wasn't that they weren't in love, because, well, they _were_, but they just didn't really get along. They argued about anything and everything, Julie had seen it for herself; what had been a simple conversation about sandwich toppings had turned into a screaming match about brands of peanut butter. Never mind the argument they'd had about baby names four years ago . . .

Julie turned the coffee machine on and then dialled her brother's number.

"What did you do this time?" She asked as soon as he'd picked up the phone. It was unfair, she knew, to always accuse him of being in the wrong, but she couldn't exactly go accusing his wife. That would have just been rude. And it wasn't like a divorce hadn't been mentioned before. With a hostile relationship like theirs, most days it seemed better to leave than to stay in their corrupted environment.

"We got into an argument," he said. His voice was terrifying, low and flat and punctuated by tiny snivels. He sighed. He cursed under his breath. "And then- then she slammed the divorce papers on me."

"It must have been one hell of an argument," Julie said, "for her to ask for a divorce."

Her brother was silent.

Julie tucked the phone between her ear and her shoulder, and then padded over to the dishwasher.

"It's not just that," he finally said. "She's leaving me for another man."

_Oh, no_, Julie thought as his sobs started. Her poor brother. She hadn't at all seen _that _coming. Midway through opening the dishwasher drawer, she abandoned her search for a mug and leaned heavily against the kitchen counter.

She couldn't imagine what her brother was going through, when Julie herself couldn't even understand what she felt. If her sister-in-law had left her brother for another man, it truely meant that their marriage was finished. This wasn't an empty threat, like it usually was. This was real, and this was happening to her _brother._

"Oh, Oliver," she whispered. "What a horrible thing."

Yes, what a horrible, horrible, terrible thing.

* * *

"I ought to fire you," Leah snapped when Julie finally stumbled in to the office. "Seven hours late . . . Definitely grounds for dismissal."

"I'm so sorry," the girl said with a bow of her head. "I'm so sorry, Leah. I had something important I needed to do, and I should have called. I'm sorry."

Leah cleared her throat -a little too loudly- and straightened in her chair. "Do you know how many potential clients you've lost me, today?"

Julie looked up at Leah through her lashes. "A lot. I know. I understand. But my brother needed my help, and it was important-"

"Your brother?" Leah interrupted. She supposed she could be a bit sympathetic . . .

"Yes. He- Well, he's going through a tough time."

Leah sighed. If it were Seth that needed help, she had no doubt that she'd drop everything to do whatever it was that he wanted.

"I didn't know you had a brother," she said.

Julie shrugged her shoulders.

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

* * *

Bonnie shoved the thick textbook away from herself with a groan. Damn Clearwater. Because of him and his stupid girlfriend, Bonnie couldn't study. Which was terrible, considering she had an exam in a few days.

Bonnie hated boys and hated girls and had decided the night before that people really just sucked. Seth especially. And the girl he was with. And their relationship sucked and their laughing sucked and their talking sucked, too. Mostly, though, their rightness sucked. Why did the girl look so _right _standing next to Seth, like she belonged there, when Bonnie didn't? Not that Bonnie thought she looked bad next to Seth, but, well, she certainly didn't look perfect like the girl.

Stupid girl. Stupid pretty no-boobed girl.

Bonnie shoved back from the table and started stacking the library books she'd taken from the shelves. Then she packed up her things and pulled her bag over her shoulder. If she couldn't study, she wouldn't force herself to. Besides, the sky was a pretty blue, and with winter approaching Bonnie needed to soak up as much vitamin D as she could. She did _not _need to break out halfway through the semester.

With a chocolate and vanilla milkshake in mind, Bonnie skipped out of the library and walked three blocks to her favourite little cafe. It was packed, as always, and she had to wait in line for seven whole minutes before placing her order. It didn't bother her too much though, as the wait gave her time to talk sense into herself and chose an organic iced tea instead of the milkshake she'd wanted. She was at her goal weight, and a milkshake would only make her fat again.

Iced tea in hand, Bonnie left the cafe and wandered back to her apartment building. She relished in the heat of the sun, sipping slowly on her tea, and forgot for a second or two about Seth Clearwater and his stupid girlfriend. She climbed the stairs to her room slowly, watching traffic move floors and floors beneath her feet through the giant glass window-walls that lined the stairwell.

Bonnie left the window-walls behind then and counted the two doors in the hallway before her own. She'd thought it had been a bad omen when she'd moved in; the third apartment on the seventh floor. Two odd numbers. She wasn't superstitious, but living in an odd numbered apartment on an odd numbered floor didn't strike her as too lucky. It turned out that the apartment was fine, and her flatmate wasn't some psycho murder like she'd thought he'd be, and she hadn't fallen down the stairwell yet . . .

She unlocked the door and stepped inside the apartment. It smelt of bleach -nothing new, considering her flatmate was a germaphobe- and warmth. It smelt like familiarity. Bonnie kicked the door shut and dropped her bag, and sipped on her tea again. She called Robbie's name. She was met with silence. She guessed she had the house to herself.

Like she did most summer days, Bonnie changed into her bikini and laid on the floor in front of the window-walls in the living room. She'd been lucky her parents had died. If they hadn't, she certainly wouldn't have inherited the money to spend on her flashy apartment. She could only imagine what it would have been like had she had to live in a slummy apartment, with no sleek furniture and window-walls.

Curling up against the window, Bonnie banished all thoughts of Seth from her mind.

She let her eyes flutter shut.

* * *

Seth's hand was curled possessively around Renesmee, and although his palm was wrapped tightly around her waist, his hold wasn't unpleasant in the slightest. In fact, Renesmee quite liked the way it felt, the warmth from his fingers that pressed against the fabric of her dress, and the pressure from his hold, keeping her securely by his side as the waiter led them through the restaurant.

"Do you like it?" Seth asked as they rounded a corner, following the waiter to what looked like the more reclusive part of the restaurant. Four square black tables lined the burgundy walls, and a couple sat in the high-backed wooden chairs at one of them. Renesmee's heels clicked against the hard floor, drawing the attention of the lady as Seth walked her past their table. She scowled at Renesmee before turning back to her date.

Well, she wasn't going to let the lady's rotten mood ruin her date. Not when it was the first date she'd ever been on . . . That was serious. In tenth grade a boy from her brother's group of friends had told her that he liked her, and wanted to go to the movies with her. Her brother had begged her not to go, but Renesmee had anyway. The boy had paid for her ticket to a Ben Stiller movie, and then left to go to the bathroom twenty minutes into it. He didn't return. Renesmee had to walk home, in the dark, and then face her brother's smirking friends, including the boy, the very next day.

"It's lovely," Renesmee said. Seth beamed at her.

* * *

_I've been really busy. I've not read any J/R stories, apart from SheeWolf85's ITS, in a long time. I'm trying to read and write, but I've got exams until late November sometime. It's difficult. _

_Leave a review if you're feeling lovely (:_

_Writing songs: The Scientist – Glee  
One – Swedish House Mafia  
In and Out – Marcus Canty _


	10. Chapter 10

_It's two thirty a.m. I'm tired. Big night. I edited this in a barely any time, so if there're things then leave a comment or something. Lord, I'm so tired. Sorry._

_So I feel bad for the wait and things, it's been a month already! I've been busy with finals but I'm finished now and for that I'm wonderful._

_Oh and I know this is a Jacob/Renesmee fic. I haven't forgotten. But they're -if things are according to plots and things- not really gonna see the light or whatever for a few –two- chapters. Sorry. I'm working on establishing a few really important characters and relationships at the moment, because if all of this isn't done then it's not the fic I want. And like a few of you have been noticing, all the characters mentioned so far are intertwined, and play a really really big part in the fic. Their lives and experiences are connected, and all that's been done has been done for a reason. So think about that. Oh and start throwing in comments about how you think each person so far, and potential new characters, are going to be connected! I'd love to know what you all think. Anyhow, fic time now._

* * *

"Wow, Seth," Renesmee said, her irises twinkling under the moonlight, "that was . . . amazing! That band, _wow._"

Seth blinked. _God, _she was beautiful. Her nose, her lips, her hair . . . Even her damn toes were pretty. The urge to feel her was extremely potent, to inspect and familiarize every little inch of her with his mouth and-

"Seth?"

As if broken from a trance, Seth startled and averted his eyes from Renesmee's toes, his cheeks darkening a shade. He cleared his throat and pushed his hands into his pockets, and then slowly lifted his face. She was smirking, her eyebrows arched toward the sky and curls falling-

Seth shook the thought away; the girl was turning him into a damn poet.

He grinned at her -because really, how could he not?- and slowly, tentatively, lifted his hand toward her. She took it and twined their fingers together. Moved closer to him.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Tonight was wonderful. I loved it."

Seth stared at her, his body and thoughts buzzing with something -something that told him to lean forward just the slightest bit and press his lips to hers- and sighed with exaggerated contentment.

_God_, the things she made him feel!

"It's not over yet," Seth whispered.

"It's not?"

"No. We'll buy kebabs-"

Renesmee grinned. "We just ate."

"So? We'll eat more," Seth said. He squeezed her hand and smiled. "I don't want to take you home yet."

* * *

"Is he allowed to do that?" Seth asked, shooting a quick glance at his date over his shoulder. "What about Renesmee? The contract?"

His sister sighed heavily into the receiver.

"I don't know," she said. "I'll leave it to you to tell her. As for the contract . . . Well, technically, he isn't in violation of it, so there's nothing she could do about it if she wanted to, anyway."

Seth pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and shook his head. _Fucking Blacks._

"So, what now?"

"As far as I know, Renesmee's still wanted at the estate-"

"_Why? _If there's trouble on the marital front, why would they want her there? If they're postponing the insemination until January, what's the point of her being there through Christmas?"

"They want to monitor her hormone-"

"She's not a fuc- a damn test rat!" Seth exclaimed with a roll of his eyes.

"Stop interrupting me!"

"Then stop being a cow! You're the lawyer, Leah. Call him back and tell him he can shove his new arrangement up his posh fucking ass, because he's_ not _going to isolate a girl in that cold fucking estate throughout Christmas and New Year's because it's not fair-"

"Seth!" Leah scolded. "It isn't your place, and it's certainly not my place, to tell Mr Black to shove anything up his 'posh ass'. I know you like Renesmee, but she signed a contract with the Blacks and there's nothing you can do about it. This is her problem, and you're not going to let her deal with it herself. It's not as if it's a bad thing-"

Seth snorted bitterly and ended the call, forcefully shoving his phone into his pocket. He took a few deep breaths before turning back to his date who sat waiting for him to finish his call, chilli dog in hand and legs folded beneath her butt.

"Hey," he said with a hesitant smile as he sat himself beside her on the dark green park bench.

"How's the food?"

She puffed out her cheeks and patted her stomach.

"Fulling," she said a moment later. "Very, very fulling. I don't think I'm going to be able to walk home."

Seth grinned. He'd tell her later, he told himself. Right now, he needed to focus on kissing her, or touching her, or kissing her.

"Then I guess I'm going to need to carry you," he finally said.

She smiled, and Seth swore his heart stuttered. He was an idiotic, romantic mess, but it didn't bother him at all. In fact, he'd discovered recently -two hours earlier- that he _wanted _to be an idiotic, romantic mess, as long as it meant she'd never stop smiling at him.

"Na-uh," she sang. "After tonight, I probably weigh a ton! But if you feel the need, then please do so; these pumps-" she pointed to the platforms dangling off her pretty toes, "are deadly sore."

"Deadly sore?" Seth asked with a chuckle. Renesmee hummed and nodded.

"Yep. Deadly sore. You try wearing them for however many hours this date has been so far," she said.

"Seven," Seth supplied. "Seven hours."

"_Seven?"_

He nodded, and with a warm smile, gently took her gloved hand in his own.

"Two hours at the restaurant," he said, pushing two of her fingers upright. "Three hours at the bar," another three went up. "And-" he took her other hand and slowly pulled the dark, leather glove off of it, "two hours here, kissing you." He brushed his fingers against her palm, and they both shivered at the contact.

"Is that so?" she whispered. Seth nodded, and, with a hazy grin, clasped his hand tightly in his. He didn't plan on letting it go anytime soon.

Breathing unevenly, they sat there for however long they sat there, staring at one another with bedroom eyes.

"Well," Renesmee said quietly, a few long moments later, "are you going to kiss-"

Seth leaned in, and the words seemed to die on her lips. _Jesus_, her lips!

Eyes narrowing, he barely managed to press his free fingers against her back before his mouth smashed against hers in a starved kiss, gentleness be damned.

_Fuck yes! _he thought, right before he lost himself in the feel of her fingers tugging at his hair and her chest pushing against his.

When he decided to let her up for air, she was flushed, pinker than a donkey's tongue.

"Wholly fuck," she panted, and looked up at him with wide eyes. He smirked, attempting to look charming while he too panted like a dog.

"Did you just swear?" He asked, albeit a little breathily. She nodded, and smiled a little.

"Seemed appropriate."

Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around her waist and slid her closer, and then closer than closer.

"Want to do that again?"

* * *

Lost in his smirk and his voice and the way his face said everything he thought, Renesmee pressed her face against Seth's throat and closed her eyes, senses temporarily overwhelmed by all the kissing and talking and sniffing and kissing they'd done to each other.

He was a maniac kisser, that was for sure. A nice kind of maniac, though. They were thrilling; he was thrilling. She really rather loved kissing him.

She sighed a delighted and contented sigh and snuggled into him.

"So, how'd I do tonight?" Seth asked.

"Best date I've ever been on."

"Yeah?"

She smiled and pressed a kiss against his neck. Blushed a little.

"Yeah."

His answering grin was easy to sense; his breath did a cute little hitch and his body seemed to melt against hers. Renesmee quietly applauded herself for giving the boy a needed ego boost.

The breeze picked up around them, forcing cold air to brush across their exposed flesh. Shivering, Renesmee huddled even closer to Seth and curled herself into a tighter ball. It was almost warm; almost.

Before her thoughts could drift off to longingness for her warm, cosy bed, the scratching of footsteps against the forest floor sounded in the distance. She tensed, and Seth, noticing her sudden change in posture, tightened his arms around her body.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice startlingly close to her ear. Renesmee shushed him, and then

pointed her re-gloved hand off to her left.

"I think someone's coming," she whispered. "We should go."

Seth's eyes following her index finger and peered off into the darkness of the trees.

"Are you sure?" he said after quick and effectiveness scan of the bush, "the park is closed. What would people be doing here at-" he checked the watch on his wrist, "two a.m.?"

Renesmee was quiet for a beat -listening for the footsteps again- before she shifted away from Seth's raised arm and spoke.

"Maybe they're here to do what we're-"

Cut off by a gruff, gravelly voice and a quick glare of light, she flinched and shrunk back into her date.

"Who's there?" It -a man, she assumed- called. Seth cursed under his breath. "You kids show yourselves, now. Fun's over!"

"It's the park ranger," Seth whispered. "We need to leave. _Now_."

He all but shoved her off of him in his rush to get up and run.

"If I get a criminal record for this . . ." Renesmee grumbled to herself.

Taking her hand roughly in his, Seth began to half drag, half carry her away from the bench back the way they'd stumbled through to find it. Renesmee's heels caught on raised roots and tangled shrubs a few times, but Seth's persistent drarying kept her someone upright until they'd reached the smooth path they'd veered off after buying their chilli dogs earlier. Apparently deeming it their safe zone, Seth slowed and gave Renesmee a once over.

"You alright?"

Renesmee nodded, and after a quick check of the condition of her pumps, yawned slowly.

"I think," she murmured thoughtfully, "that although I don't want this date to end, I need to go to sleep. Big day tomorrow, remember?"

Turning back toward the forest to search absentmindedly for any sign of the ranger's potential approach, she resisted the urge to take a peek at Seth's reaction to her words. Because although he was charming and supportive, every guy had a breaking point. And maybe, the next day, at the clinic he'd promised to walk her to, Seth would reach _his _breaking point. Maybe he already had. So Renesmee didn't need to burden herself with looking at the repulsed or hesitant face she was sure he was wearing, because a contract was a contract, and she wasn't going to change her opinion on that contract all for a boy that she could only see as an immediate part of her future. Lord, she hadn't changed her opinion on that contract for her own twin!

"Well, uh-" Seth mumbled, and Renesmee silently dropped a few f-bombs. If his trembling voice was any indication on how he felt about the matter; it certainly wasn't good. "About that. Leah called earlier, and . . . There's something I need to tell you."

* * *

_Sorry if I make no sense I'm so bloody tired._

_Leave a review because I'd love to read them and I love you all thank you and nighty night._


	11. Chapter 11

"I don't know how to say it," Leo said. "Just- how are you s'posed to say to a three year old that you're never coming home? That you're not a family anymore?"

Julie grabbed his hand, damp from his seemingly endless tears, and squeezed it between her own. Thinking about her niece, so tiny and naïve to the monumental changes happening in her life was agony, but witnessing her brother torment himself over it was worse. And there wasn't a lot she could do; empathise and sympathise, in the form of little gestures and sighs. Sometimes a sentence or two.

"I can't, Jules. I don't know. I don't want to."

"Leo," she started, leaning her shoulder against his. "You shouldn't have to. You shouldn't be worried about this because you're not the cause of it. You didn't choose a divorce and you didn't choose to sleep on my couch."

Her brother trembled.

"And you're still a family- you're still my brother, and you're still a father. Separation won't change that."

"Julie."

It was a single word, barely a shaken whisper as he sagged against her, and her heart broke. She unclasped her hands and pulled her brother's head down to her chest, cradling him against her in a half-embrace. She patted his hair and kissed his head, and as his tears stained her thin silk blouse, her own began.

* * *

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Renesmee."

She didn't know what they expected- A bow, perhaps? Or a curtsey? It was the only appropriate thing to do, she thought, as she crossed her ankles and dipped low, balancing precariously in pumps on the Blacks' marble floors. Maria watched on with a delighted smile, nodding in what Renesmee _hoped_ was approval.

"As for you, Mrs Black," she said, righting herself beneath the foyer's stone archway.

There was a loud snort, and then:

"Jesus, Maria. She's like a trained mule!"

Renesmee frowned as Maria's gaze flitted to her left.

"Paul."

"Maria," came a condescending reply.

Renesmee glanced back over her shoulder, and met the eyes of a six foot something replica of Mr Black.

"Paul," he said, stepping toward her with an extended hand. "I live here ninety-eight percent of the time- west wing."

Renesmee eyed his hand sceptically.

"Paul is Mr Black's brother," Maria said, tone somewhat bitter. "He likes to think he's funny- ignore the mule comment."

Paul chuckled, his eyes squinting with sincerity as he smiled, two rows of gleaming white teeth on show. Renesmee slowly dropped her hand into his.

"I am funny," he said. "But really, no need to act like The Help. We don't bow for anyone short of the Queen, and while you're having Jake's baby, you don't bow for anyone short of the queen, least of all a jealous housewife."

Renesmee paled, snatching her hand from the man's. She chanced a glance at Maria, who stood stoic by a column of pink and red flowers.

"That's quite enough, Paul," she scolded. "You're making the girl uncomfortable."

"I am? Well, I just thought I'd let her know the rules around here. What would Jake say if he were to find you were mistreating yet another guest of his?"

Renesmee blinked twice, caught in the seemingly venomous crossfire. She didn't know what Paul meant by _mistreating another guest, _but she didn't care much about finding out. This was a job and Maria was her boss; if Maria wanted her to bow, then bow she would.

She cleared her throat.

"I am not being mistreated," Renesmee said, shooting a glare at Paul. "I am merely being polite and showing respect for the lady of the house."

Paul's lips turned down.

"You should take example from the girl, Paul. Do remember, this is my home as much as it is Jacob's. He's not the only one who decides who comes and goes."

Renesmee swallowed, and shuffled to her boss' side.

"Now," Maria said, redirecting her attention to Renesmee's clothing, "let's get you unpacked, so we can start on a new wardrobe for you. Those tight little jeans won't help conception at all- your poor ovaries must be squished in there."

* * *

The walls glowed gold as the last streaks of daylight filtered into the bedroom. She sat on the bed, phone clasped between her hands, waiting for someone to call. It was her third day in the country, and yet no one had contacted her to complain of her absence, not her workmates, neighbours and not her brother. Seth hadn't even called- nor had he answered when she had called him.

She was desperate for someone to talk to, locked in some sort of castle in the middle of nowhere. The first day had been tolerable, chatting with Maria and accumulating a new wardrobe in a little village-like place three hours' drive from the estate. She'd imagine she was in Scotland, passing by little brick cottages and the occasional sheep.

The clothing they'd bought had been horrible though, loose blouses, plain leggings, an array of shift dresses for 'special outings.' There was a pair of riding boots now lodged between various pairs of new flats. All Renesmee's own clothing and shoes were ordered to stay in the storage room downstairs.

The second and third day had her at the castle alone, with Mrs Black 'out' and Mr Black MIA, as he had been since Renesmee had arrived. Though there was all the technology and food and even views she could dream of within a few steps from her bed, she was restless, needing some kind of contact with the outside world. She had never been so still before; there was always work and school and her brother and everyday mundane worries- all of which had disappeared the minute she'd stepped foot inside the estate. She didn't know if she liked it. She didn't know if this was the kind of peace she had been so long looking for.

* * *

_I'm so sorry I've been so long gone. You can thank a few lovely readers for this chapter; if I hadn't of been kicked up the butt then it probably wouldn't be here. I wrote this in two hours, so I haven't exactly looked over it or processed it. Therefore I am sorry if it is monumental crap._


	12. Chapter 12

_So I decided this chapter would jump forward in time, due to my infrequent and horrific posting schedule. There's at least nine more months I have to cover in this one story, and I wouldn't ever get there if I didn't skip forward a few steps every once in a while. _

_So, this is approximately two months after the last chapter. It's primarily Jacob, and in the following chapters everything readers missed will be elaborated on, some. I don't want to miss too much out, so._

_Thank you so so much to my reviewers, as you readers still reviewed even after my too-long time away!_

**_Your walls are up_**

**_Too cold to touch it_**

**_Your walls are up_**

**_Too high to climb._**

_Love Lost _

_Temper Trap._

* * *

"Jacob?"

Jacob rubbed at his brow and sighed, wincing as his wife flicked her stupid overly-bright studio lamp on.

"You're home," she said, a dimple creasing her cheek. She propped herself up against the headboard and then smoothed the sheets over her bare thighs. "I missed you."

"Yeah," Jacob muttered with a halfhearted kick to his duffle bag, "I'm home."

Joy.

Maria's hands stilled on the sheets. "Come to bed," she demanded, glancing over at the uncreased pillow by her hip. "You're grumpy. We'll talk in the morning, when you're better."

"I'm not sleeping in your bed," Jacob said, bitterly. "I just came by to get my things and to make you feel like shit."

His wife flinched.

"Don't talk to me tomorrow," he growled, and then stalked out of the room.

* * *

"I hate that bitch," Paul exclaimed. He swiped a beer from his mini fridge and held it up triumphantly. "Thank fuck for divorces."

Jacob grinned. "Don't let her hear you mention it," he said. "I want to drop it on her, during a romantic dinner in public or a charming anniversary stroll through the vineyard."

"I can't believe you're actually doing this."

Jacob struggled to grasp the term himself. Divorce. It was a difficult thought, having his relationship with a girl he had appreciated disregarded. For seven years, him and Maria had worked. They'd compromised and experienced passion, and had stood through countless press events leaning on one another and smiling and giggling and touching for the spreads and tabloids and occasionally the news. But he just wasn't interested in superficiality anymore, and though the memories were somewhat sweet, they did nothing to eliminate the pain of disregarding a girl much, much more important to him than his wife. Claire was halfway across the country, where he'd left her with her doting biological grandmother Maria had contacted two months before.

And when Jacob thought of that- the heartbreak of having the little girl ripped from him, he hoped like hell that divorce held a lot more permanence than marriage. Going against a force like Maria was unheard of, and if he made it to his lawyers office without being manipulated back into a happy couple routine, it would be success enough.

"Yeah, well," Jacob murmured, surfacing from his bottle of beer, "I can't believe she took Claire from me."

Paul sauntered over to the beanbag in the corner of their cave, and wiped his nose on his sleeve. He didn't look at Jacob as he spoke, choosing to watch a DVD scene.

"Claire wanted to stay, Jake."

"But Maria made the call, and she didn't do it out of the goodness of her heart."

"What d'ya mean?" Paul questioned.

"She was jealous. She didn't like the time I spent with Claire. She didn't like that I treated her like my own kid. She wanted Claire gone for the new baby, and if I'd known, I would've stopped all this surrogacy crap."

His brother balanced his bottle on the carpet, and glanced over at him.

"You'd give up the chance of having your own biological baby?"

"In a heartbeat," Jacob said. "Claire was just as much my own as the week-old embryo in Renesmee's ovaries."

"Could'a, would'a, should'a," Paul grimaced. "Claire's granny would've surfaced eventually, and you've signed the contracts and knocked a few out and now have a potentially pregnant girl under your roof, so there's no use dwelling. And it's not as if you'll never see Claire again."

Jacob ran his hand through his hair.

"Just focus on the good things," Paul continued. "Kicking Maria's ass to the curb- which will probably entitle you to sole custody of your new kid, who you'll get to raise however the hell you want, with no bitch-wife breathing down your neck. Plus, you could nail Renesmee. Apparently hormones turn pregnant women into freaks."

Jacob furrowed his brows, but didn't argue. Paul had valid points- one of which wildly inappropriate, but a man could dream. Though his wife was built like some Greek goddess, the girl had that charm of inexperienced naivety that every boy and man alike wanted to taste.

"How is Renesmee?" Jacob said, switching the subject before he could dwell in the stinging absence of the little girl close to his heart. "Do you know how the insemination went?"

Paul shook his head. "I don't know crap about that high-tech stuff. If you hadn't been so devoted to Maria at the time, you could've just done it the old-fashioned way."

Jacob chucked and gulped back the rest of his beer.

"How long until you find out if it worked?" His brother asked.

"Two weeks."

"And if she's not pregnant?"

Jacob sighed. "Then we try again. It'll be a long process; it's already been delayed long enough. If I didn't have to fly Claire to the middle of nowhere and wait for her to meet and settle with her grandparents, it would've all happened a lot earlier. Renesmee could've been pregnant by now."

"She probably is pregnant now," Paul said. "We're Blacks. You were a super sperm, I was a super sperm, and your kid isn't going to be any different. The odds are in our favour."

Jacob chuckled, and stretched his legs out on the oak coffee table.

"Let's hope so."

* * *

_Review (:_


	13. Chapter 13

_I don't even know what to think of this chapter. I feel like it shouldn't be up here, but it's got what it needs to be up here, and I think this double update is just sitting funny in my mind._

_Thank you to the reviewers! Here's the Jacob/Renesmee interaction asked for. _

_((:_

**_I really tried to do what you wanted_**

**_It all went wrong again_**

**_I made a vow, to carry you home_**

**_If you fall sick, if you pass out_**

**_I figured it out_**

**_I can see again_**

_Bloc Party - So Here We Are_

* * *

The _slightest_ discomfort, the nurse had said.

The bitch didn't know a thing.

Three weeks had passed and the lingering presence of the damed ankle stirrups had yet to fade. Every evening came the dreaded stillness Renesmee disliked so much, and in that stillness lurked unpleasant memories of syringes and pills and heavy privacy-stealing machines, and the hour-long wait ensuing the procedure.

Though the physical part of the insemination had merely paralleled a hard pinch, the emotional part had welcomed anxiety and horror and complete dread, and wasn't for one moment _only_ a _slight_ _discomfort_. It was a bad, bad thing, and Renesmee's silent, solitary fifty-seven minute elevation hadn't helped matters. Fifty-seven minutes of solitary silence helped one's perspective on surrogacy; fifty-seven minutes of a person's sperm lounging in one's uterus was not worth the money. Hormone shots A, B and C were not worth the money. Having a nurse discover one's whole life story through an ultrasound of one's vagina was _not_ worth the money. Renesmee's dignity was gone. She was in tears by the time Maria sauntered into the clinic, Seth and Leah Clearwater in tow.

And now, toes wriggling in the little brook to the east of the estate, Renesmee prayed to God that she was pregnant- the whole ordeal was too dreadful to repeat if the test came back negative.

There wasn't one symptom of pregnancy present, much to Maria's dismay. The lady had watched her like a hawk since the insemination, noting all of Renesmee's food preferences, sleep patterns, and headaches, cramps and stiff joints. Though Maria hadn't openly expressed her disappointment, it seeped from her pores and poisoned the house and everybody in it- especially Renesmee. It was her job and her job only to create a little baby for a man and his wife, and it didn't look as if she were even capable of doing so.

Renesmee sighed and pressed a hand to her still-flat stomach, and willed there to be a sign of life within her. Whether it was a flutter or a kick or a craving- even if it were vomiting, she'd take it. Perhaps she wouldn't feel like such an intruder in the Black's too-big house if any of the symptoms were to show.

"Renesmee."

Renesmee startled, her toes sliding across an algae covered rock. She grabbed at the grass on the bank with greedy fingers, and pressed her back to the lip of it to steady her skidding feet.

She exhaled as she shifted to glare at the newcomer, meeting Mr Black's eyes with furrowed brows.

"Don't be creepy," she said, defiance sparking in her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest. "That was creepy."

Mr Black smirked, clearly amused with Renesmee's posture and potentially her words.

"I was scared and I slipped," Renesmee expanded. "And I'm possibly pregnant. Falling into a pond so early in a pregnancy would be completely detrimental to a foetus' health."

"I'm sorry," Mr Black said, his words insincere as the smile his mouth had slipped into. "I didn't mean to be creepy."

Renesmee eyed him wearily. Maria had explained to her earlier that it was best to stay away from Mr Black until advised otherwise. He had apparently returned from a business trip the previous night in the foulest of moods, and Renesmee didn't need or want the added stress of another upset housemate. What little sperm would want a nine month stay in a uterus so exposed to second-hand tension and depression?

"Are you well?" Mr Black asked, stepping toward the murky water Renesmee stood in.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you happy? Do you like it here? Are the staff taking care of you?"

Renesmee glanced over at her phone.

"Well enough," she said. "Emily is nice."

Mr Black pushed his hands into his pockets and nodded.

"She's the best chef we've had yet. And Maria? How is she treating you?"

"Like a doll," Renesmee joked, clearing her throat as the man's eyes hardened. "Good," she clarified. "She's lovely."

"Good," he murmured. Then, "I'm sorry for my absence. I hope it doesn't to lead you to believe that I'm not invested with this pregnancy."

Renesmee met his eyes, as dark as his last name.

"It's okay," she said. "I don't believe that any man willing to pay a girl to have his baby wouldn't not want to be a part in the whole situation."

"Good," Mr Black murmured once more.

* * *

"What're they doing out there?" Seth asked, his nose smearing oil across the previously pristine windows.

Maria leaned over his shoulder, her hands cupped around her eyes as she stared out at the two figures by the brook.

"Standing in a pond," she said. "The question is, what are they talking about?"

The boy cleared his throat and pressed a fist to his chest. "The baby, maybe?"

A wave of jealousy crashed through Maria, and she vaguely wondered if the boy felt the same way. He must have, watching his significant other with the biological father of the baby she potentially carried, in an area so far out of reach and so far out of earshot- in an area so private. She wondered if he felt excluded as she did, that the two that created the baby were off discussing little him or her, while the two that had no genetic input in the baby whatsoever were left discussing the discussion of little him or her.

"_My_ baby," Maria corrected, pressing harder into his shoulder. "And I don't think so," she lied. "Jacob wouldn't do that without me."

Though he would, and he was. It was purposeful, his private conversation with Renesmee. He was punishing her for Claire, intentionally leaving her out because she'd sent the girl away.

"Are you sure? 'cause what else do they have to talk about?"

Maria pulled away from the boy, and twisted her hair over her shoulder.

"Probably how to work the contract around you," she lied, again. "It's a complicated process- _so_ much effort for one person."

Seth rolled his eyes and took a step back, wiping at the smudged glass with his sleeve.

"Maybe if you didn't have her on such a tight leash, the contract wouldn't have been compromised," he said, pausing his halfhearted cleaning to gaze out the window again.

Oh, did the kid have it bad. He'd spent a mere five days with the girl since she'd arrived, and the couple were so obviously smitten with one another.

And Maria didn't like it. She didn't like how the situation had slipped from her control; Jacob's resentment, her attorney's brother's infatuation with her surrogate, and the lack of pregnancy symptoms on the baby front.

"It's such a big commitment you're making," she said, her eyes straying to the brook. "I expect Renesmee to be an emotional wreck after the birth. Witnessing that would be such a _monumental_ burden for someone so young, don't you agree?"

"And knowing you've allowed a girl that's barely legal to commit to something so emotionally _monumental_ in the first place isn't a _burden_?"

Maria blanched.

"I'll help her cope," he continued. "And I'll make better. So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to manipulate me into leaving her, Mrs Black, because as long as my sister remains your husband's attorney, it's not going to happen."


End file.
